NEW! The book, Fine Body of Athletic Soldiers: A History of the 11th Georgia Cavalry Regiment is in the hands of the author... contact John Latty directly via johnwlatty@bellsouth.net or (770) 536 - 8943

He also has written The Gallant Little 7th, A History of he 7th Georgia Cavalry Regiment

John Latty is a tall man with a generous smile and a deep southern drawl. During his recent lecture at the library he recalled details of events surrounding key players of the Confederacy’s 11th Georgia Cavalry Regiment.

Mr. Latty‟s interest in history began as a child when he heard stories from his family about his great-great-uncle, Cicero Columbus Latty, who served in Company K of the 11th Georgia Cavalry. He spent years researching each of his books; he gathered information from the Georgia Department of Archives and History, local history books, newspapers, and oral accounts from descendants of the people in his books.

Latty‟s commitment to detail is reflected in the anecdotal material he used to describe the battles fought by the men of the 11th Georgia Cavalry during its short run as a unit. In fact, the title of the book is something of an anecdote; it comes from an observation by Adam Henry Whetstone, a captain in the 24th Alabama Cavalry Battalion, in which he described the 11th Georgia Regiment as “…a fine body of athletic soldiers whose services were very much needed.”

Sidebars throughout the text highlight battle statistics, individual histories, and other memorable minutiae Mr. Latty uncovered during his research. One example is a dedication to Sarah Addie Barclay Young. Addie, as she was known, was the wife of Colonel Andrew Young, who organized the 11th Georgia Cavalry, and a sister to Lieutenant Colonel Hugh W. Barclay Colonel Young‟s second in command. Mr. Latty emphasized her influence on her husband and brother.

Similar texts often neglect the individual soldier’s point of view, while much of A Fine Body of Athletic Soldiers is devoted to personal accounts of the 11th ‟s actions found in letters to and from soldiers and their families. Of particular interest is a letter from Lieutenant Franklin A. Bleckley of Company F to his wife back home in Rabun County in which he sends news of the men in his unit along with information about the 11th ‟s movements. A Fine Body of Athletic Soldiers personalizes the War of Northern Aggression and makes it appealing to a wide range of readers. -- Dawn